Palo Alto Community Fund (PACF) is proud and pleased to announce our 2023 grants. Thank you to our donors who make these significant grants totaling $1.725M possible, and to the extraordinary people in our local nonprofit organizations who deliver hundreds of essential services and life-changing programs to our community of Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park.
2023 Trends and Concerns
Our local nonprofit partners have continued to feel the effects of the pandemic. Cost of living—especially high housing costs—makes it challenging for many nonprofit staff to live in our area. Simply put, the need for nonprofit services has increased, but the hiring pool has shrunk. In addition, the price of nearly all supplies and services has risen over the last 12 months. Rising costs and hiring challenges not only strain an organizations’ ability to meet the needs of the community, but also increases the demand for even greater fundraising and operational support.
Palo Alto Community Fund’s 2023 Grants
See our full list of grantees with focus areas here.
PACF grants include:
3 Impact Grants, $100,000 each
PACFs Dave Mitchell Impact Grants provide larger, unsolicited, general operating support to nonprofit organizations that deliver transformative solutions to critical issues in our community in a way that achieves both immediate impact and longer-term systemic change. This year, our Impact Grants were awarded to:
Environmental Justice/Climate Resilience: Climate Resilient Communities in support of their exceptional work in advocacy and collaboration at the local and regional, as well as state levels, and in building resilient programs that address housing, community, and education inequities.
Economic Mobility: JobTrain, in support of their innovative approaches to fuel economic mobility. Their new Center for Economic Mobility in East Palo Alto and Innovation Fund provide pioneering job training programs through deep collaboration, including shared office space for nonprofit partners.
Transitional Housing: Lifemoves, (awarded Fall 2022) in support of their Homekey Palo Alto facility, an 88-unit interim housing program with ongoing wraparound support services for those seeking permanent housing at 1237 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto.
26 Multi-Year Grants
PACF introduced multi-year grants in 2022 with the goal of providing nonprofit organizations with secure funding for a two-year period. In 2022, we awarded 15 grants within this structure, and we are pleased to offer 26 more grants in 2023.
84 Annual Grants, $1M in total
We are very grateful to the dedicated nonprofits that work every day to uplift the most vulnerable in our neighborhoods and improve the lives of everyone in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. From vital, long-standing services to innovative programs, these organizations and their teams bring life and love to our community. Seventeen of our 2023 grantees are new to PACF, and we are enjoying getting to know them and their work. See below for a full list of grantees.
Emergency Grant for flood victims
In January 2023, we were able to give immediate help to our neighbors whose housing and livelihoods were impacted by the horrendous flooding this winter, through a grant to local nonprofit, El Comité de Vecinos del Lado Oeste, in East Palo Alto.
2 Executive Director Grants, $10,000 each
PACF’s Cammie Vail Executive Director grants are unsolicited awards given for exceptional leadership and program innovation. Lisa Van Dusen, executive director of PACF, awarded two grants in 2023 to:
El Comité de Vecinos del Lado Oeste in support of their dedicated work in providing safety net services and supporting tenant rights amidst a planned relocation.
LifeMoves in support of their Vehicle Maintenance Fund Pilot Program at the Opportunity Center in Palo Alto to provide financial and logistical support for vehicle repairs.
Our Work Beyond the Dollars
Collaboration and community are key to the success of our nonprofits and those they serve. By working together, we are stronger and more effective at meeting local needs. A significant share of PACF’s work is dedicated to connecting with our local nonprofit leadership teams, and offering spaces and events for people to come together to meet, get to know each other, and share ideas. Most recently, 130 nonprofit professionals gathered for our Rise and Shine breakfast.
Join us at our annual Community Celebration
Please join us for an evening of celebration and connection over food and wine on Monday, June 5 from 6:00-7:30 pm at the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo, honoring the many grantees, donors, and supporters who help our community thrive.
Palo Alto Community Fund’s 2023 Grantees
Addressing Affordable Housing and Homelessness
CORA – Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse
Downtown Streets Team
El Comité de Vecinos del Lado Oeste
Heart and Home Collaborative
HIP Housing (Human Investment Project, Inc.)
LifeMoves
Rebuilding Together Peninsula
WeHope
Addressing Food Insecurity and Nutrition
Ecumenical Hunger Program
Fresh Approach
La Comida de California
Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen
Peninsula Food Runners Organization
St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room
Special Needs Services
AchieveKids
Ada’s Cafe
Jasper Ridge Farm
PARCA
Via Rehabilitation Services, Inc.
Vista Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired
Supporting Seniors
Avenidas
East Palo Alto Senior Center
Fit To The Core Inc
Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County, Inc
Peninsula Volunteers, Inc. (PVI)
TeleVisit
Accessible Healthcare (Physical / Dental)
Ravenswood Family Health Network
Peninsula Healthcare Connection
San Mateo County Health Foundation
Mental Health Support
Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS)
Children’s Health Council (CHC)
Counseling and Support Services for Youth (CASSY)
Friends for Youth, Inc.
Kara
Palo Alto University
Peninsula Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower
The Grateful Garment Project
Addressing Racial Equity
Center for Excellence in Nonprofits
Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center
Climate Action and Environmental Justice
Climate Resilient Communities
Nuestra Casa de East Palo Alto
Belle Haven Community Development Fund
Supporting Culture and Community
Anamatangi Polynesian Voices
Christmas Bureau of Palo Alto
East Palo Alto Community Archive
Quinteto Latino
Supporting Equity and Accessibility in the Arts
Art in Action
EPACENTER
Kids and Art Foundation
Pacific Art League of Palo Alto
Palo Alto Art Center
Palo Alto Players
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Providing Accessible Community Services
Tax-Aid
Women’s Achievement Network and Development Alliance (WANDA)
Providing Accessible Legal Services
Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto
Elevate Community Center
Supporting Children & Youth (Beyond the Classroom)
Able Works
Ambition Angels
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula
Bring Me a Book
Camp Kesem at Stanford
CASA of San Mateo County
Cooline Team of East Palo Alto
DreamCatchers
East Palo Alto Academy Foundation
East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring (EPATT)
Innovate Public Schools
P.I.E.F.E.S.T. Limited
Palo Alto Community Child Care (PACCC)
Peninsula Bridge
Positive Alternative Recreation Teambuilding Impact
San Francisco 49ers Academy
Vida Verde Nature Education
Youth Community Service
Supporting Education (School-Based)
All Five
East Palo Alto Kids Foundation
Eastside College Preparatory School
Environmental Volunteers
Health Connected
JobTrain
Learning Home Volunteers
Ravenswood Classroom Partners
Ravenswood Education Foundation
Rosalie Rendu Center
Science is Elementary
Silicon Valley Urban Debate League
StreetCode Academy
The Circuit EPA
The Institute for Families and Nannies
Providing Accessible Athletic Programs
Beyond Barriers Athletic Foundation
East Palo Alto Razorhawks Rugby Football Club
Rich May Foundation
Supporting Equity in Higher Education
Foundation for a College Education
Gunn Foundation
Live in Peace
Rise Together Education
The Peninsula College Fund
Upward Scholars